Moderate Muslims in Islamic countries aside, I’m more curious as to the underwhelming response of (supposedly moderate) American Muslims.

The all-Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team became one of the most highly decorated combat units in World War II. They were motivated by a desire to support their country in time of war despite the fact that the families of most of these soldiers were being held in relocation centers.

Fast forward to today—I’ve yet to read anything about groups of American Muslims enlisting to fight the Islamic extremists. Do you suppose the national media chooses not to report on American Muslims enlisting or that they really aren’t enlisting because of a tacit approval on their part?

]]>By: Bookwormhttp://www.bookwormroom.com/2006/09/26/i-have-a-dream-and-i-hope-someone-wakes-me-up/comment-page-1/#comment-5247
Wed, 27 Sep 2006 14:00:10 +0000http://proto2.webloggin.com/?p=848#comment-5247Ravana: that’s exactly it. Believe it or not, although I don’t know many, I myself know some moderate Muslims — people who live quiet, decent, honorable middle class lives. But I think the honor starts draining away when you cede the public ground — acts and words — to the most violent representatives of your case.

The other day, the kids and I were watching Fiddler on the Roof. A Russian officer feels friendly to the village, but that doesn’t stop him at the end from carrying out an order to vacate the village by force. My kids asked, “Is he evil?” “No,” I said, “he’s weak. It’s hard to take the risk of losing your job or getting into trouble. Lots of people are weak that way. But that doesn’t mean it’s all right to do something that is manifestly, absolutely wrong. And you’ve got a problem if you have too many people who go along to get along. Eventually, you end up with Nazi Germany.”

The moderate Muslims must begin speaking loudly and clearly. I understand that they are as cowed as anyone else, but unlike a Jewish, Hindu or Christian person, they, sadly, for them, have the association problem — they belong to the same religion as the aggressive, violent ones; they complain that they’re being tarred by the same brush; yet they’re not doing anything to reclaim the marketplace of Islamic ideas.

]]>By: Danny Lemieuxhttp://www.bookwormroom.com/2006/09/26/i-have-a-dream-and-i-hope-someone-wakes-me-up/comment-page-1/#comment-5246
Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:32:55 +0000http://proto2.webloggin.com/?p=848#comment-5246DQ – something has nagged me about your position on Iraq. If five years of ongoing struggle (in a 1,500-year struggle) against Islamic fundamentalists in Iraq is sufficient to convince you that we can’t “win” and it is time to leave, where should the next battleground be and what time frame should we allow?
]]>By: Danny Lemieuxhttp://www.bookwormroom.com/2006/09/26/i-have-a-dream-and-i-hope-someone-wakes-me-up/comment-page-1/#comment-5245
Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:30:02 +0000http://proto2.webloggin.com/?p=848#comment-5245Ravana, this is an excellent point that goes to the heart of the problem we face. I believe that a big part of the problem is that we in the West come from a democratic traditions where “majority rules”. However, history is replete with instances where small minorities ruled (e.g. Naziism, Communism, Fascism) because the majority remained silent. Even our own American revolution was waged by a minority. I would like to submit the idea that the “silent majority” in Islam, however big or small, is irrelevant unless that “majority” stands up to be counted. Unfortunately, most if not all of Islam (which means “submission”) derives from cultures where minorities have lorded over submissive majorities for centuries. So, I don’t hold much hope for the Islamic mainstream except in areas such as Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan, where the mainstream is learning to stand up and make itself heard. For most of the Islamic world, unfortunately, the mainstream remains and will remain irrelevant and the focus should be on destroying the extremist minorities. As Algeria demonstrated in the 1980s – 1990s, it can be done.
]]>By: ravanahttp://www.bookwormroom.com/2006/09/26/i-have-a-dream-and-i-hope-someone-wakes-me-up/comment-page-1/#comment-5244
Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:16:49 +0000http://proto2.webloggin.com/?p=848#comment-5244Bookworm,

Last time we discussed this topic, you said that:

“I also agree with you that there are many, many millions of Muslims who join the Judeo-Christian tradition of religious freedom and peaceable worship. Unfortunately, they’re not visible. What’s visible is a radical approach to Islam with loud, violent, fanatic adherents who are drowning out any others who are talking on the subject. Even worse, it doesn’t seem as if the moderate Muslims are doing much talking right now. They seemed as cowed by the fanatics as everyone else.

You’ll notice that, in my posts, I’m always very careful to refer to “radical Islam,” or “fanatic Islam,” or “Islamic jihadists.” I do so precisely because, when I cast aspersions, I want to be very careful that those aspersions don’t drift onto benign religious practitioners, but head directly to those who have elevated violent religion to an art form.”

Although the tone of this new post is somewhat more aggressive, do i take it your position has still not changed? What you want to know is why so many moderate Muslim’s appear silent? Is that it?

]]>By: Ymarsakarhttp://www.bookwormroom.com/2006/09/26/i-have-a-dream-and-i-hope-someone-wakes-me-up/comment-page-1/#comment-5243
Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:07:44 +0000http://proto2.webloggin.com/?p=848#comment-5243We are making real moderate Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq, conversion by the sword or by rhetoric, it matters not we are making them. Since Islam won’t reform itself, we’ll lend them a helping hand in certain locations where the writ of American power is hard to challenge.

If Mohammed united the disparate Arab clans into one Caliphate… then technically it is very “Muslim” and dutiful to follow in Mohammed’s shoes and unite the whole of Arabia, once again.

The Caliphate’s going to have to invade Iraq and Afghanistan first. With what we’ve given and taught the Kurds and other dudes the Spec ops had with Afghanistanis…. they are going to chewed up and spit out, even without American air and ground support.

The only problem right now, is that Iraq and Afghanistan does not have a …. strong alliance, let’s just say that. They keep going through us, the US, and that’s not a good thing to have if the US is gone or distracted.

Israel’s problem is of course, they don’t seem to be making alliance offers to Afghanistan and Iraq. Don’t count on America to be there always, you have to get your own power base up and running, you know. That is my advice for those interested in their national security. Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan can create a powerful enough alliance that the Arabs would respect and fear.

Too bad the State Department is too high on hate bush and moral high ground America, to do any real diplomacy.